Mrs. Miller was the first to notice me.
“Sarah, you’re back! Come and talk to Chloe.
She’s been so difficult lately.”
<
She took my hand, her tone pleading.
I pulled my hand away. “I’m tired. I’m going to
rest in my room.”
Mrs. Miller’s face fell, but she didn’t press the
issue, turning back to appease Chloe.
She was a far cry from the domineering
woman I remembered.
Back in my room, I pulled Ethan’s New Year’s
gift from my bag: a red cashmere scarf.
I wrapped it around my neck, looking at
myself in the mirror.
A smile touched my lips.
- 17.
L
- 17.
That evening, a knock came at the door.
I opened it to find Jake standing there,
looking haggard and anxious.
“Sarah, we need to talk.”
I stepped aside to let him in.
He wrung his hands, then blurted out, “Sarah,
you’ve always been the wife I truly wanted.”
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Chloe’s temper has gotten worse, and she
spends money like water. I…”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Waiting for me?
Jake, do you even believe that yourself?”
“You were ‘waiting‘ for me while you got
Chloe pregnant. What do you take me for?”
He flushed, panic in his eyes. “Sarah, let me
explain…”
I cut him off. “There’s nothing to explain.”
“You and Chloe are having a baby. There’s
nothing left to say.”
“I wish you both the best.”
He was silent for a moment, as if
remembering something.
“I’ve been having dreams… dreams where
you’re the one I married.”
L
“You were so kind and gentle, taking care of
my parents back home.”
He paused, his voice tinged with pain. “But in
the dream, I only had eyes for Chloe. I
neglected you, I hurt you. I was a jerk.”
“And I made our son force you to divorce
me.”
I was shocked. He was dreaming of our past
life.
He covered his face with his hands. “I
wronged you in that dream. And now I want
to make it up to you…”
I fought to control my anger, my voice icy.
“If you really want to make amends, then take
care of Chloe and your child.”
“And leave me alone. That’s best for both of
us.”
His eyes dimmed, a hint of reluctance in his
voice. “But I keep feeling like… you’re
supposed to be my wife.”
My patience finally snapped. “Jake, you need
to leave. This isn’t something you should be
saying, and this isn’t where you should be.”
He stood up dejectedly and walked out of my
room, his steps heavy.
I watched him go, feeling nothing.
In both lifetimes, he wavered between two
women, greedily wanting both.
I began to think. Since Jake and Chloe were
living here now, there was no reason for me.
to stay.
The Miller house was never my home.
- 18.
The next morning, I packed my bags and
knocked on Mrs. Miller’s door.
I pressed a bank card into her hand. “Thank
you for everything you’ve done for me over
the years.”
“This is the money I’ve saved. Please accept
it as a token of my gratitude for raising me.
Mrs. Miller hesitated, trying to push the card
back. “Sarah, I can’t…”
“Take it,” I said, picking up my suitcase. “I
need to get back to school. Goodbye.”
I left the Miller house without looking back,
feeling no regret.
The line at the ticket counter was long. When
I finally reached the front, there were no
tickets left to Miami.
The next available train wasn’t until the day
after tomorrow.
I ran a hand through my hair in frustration.
Where was I supposed to go?
I couldn’t sleep on the streets.
Just as I was starting to panic, Ethan appeared, carrying several bags.
<
“Sarah!”
His face lit up with a surprised smile as he
hurried over.
I was taken aback. “Ethan! What a
coincidence! You’re from Millerton too?”
“Yeah. What are you…?” He trailed off, then
his eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you have
nowhere to go?”
Ethan’s voice was filled with concern. “Why
don’t you spend the holidays with my family?”
I hesitated. “Oh, I couldn’t impose…”
“Nonsense,” he said with a grin. “It’s just me and my grandma. It’s pretty quiet. You’d liven
things up.”
く
“Besides, I don’t like the idea of you being all
alone during the holidays.”
He paused, then added, “Please, Sarah. Just
keep my poor grandma company. She gets so
bored by herself.”
His pleading expression made me laugh.
Unable to refuse, I finally agreed.
